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Oberes Mittelrheintal

This week we got the car and went for a walk along the Rhine, about 60 km from Frankfurt's Bingen am Rhein, where the route begins, to Koblenz, some 50km north approximately.

The first time we saw the place was a passing train, en route to Cologne. The landscape itself is very picturesque, the river runs in a canyon of approx. 200 meters deep. The slopes are covered with terraced vineyards. Although what most stands out is the number of castles that exist in the rocks. That time was only in passing. This time we take more time to enjoy the ride.


Castles arise from the Rhine ECONOMIC importance as a trade route. In the various wars, most of the castles to the destruction. Some were rebuilt by the end of s. XIX. Others remain in ruins. The most notable exception is the Castle of Marksburg, the only one to survive intact. Not all castles are visited, even among those who open, some do so only in summer. Anyway we could get several.

begin the journey along the shore River West. The first day we visited inside the rebuilt castle of Burg and Burg Reichenstein Sooneck. And to the town of Bacharach in Stahleck Burg runs a youth hostel, so you can sleep in a castle for a small fee. This time there was, as we journey to St Goar. That if, in the way we stopped for a photo Pfalzgrafenstein Castle, the only one built in the river itself, on an island.

Burg Reichenstein

Burg Sooneck

Burg Stahleck

Front: Burg Pfalzgrafenstein / Rear: Burg Gutenfels

After spending the night in St Goar, started the day visiting the impressive ruins of Burg Rheinfels, where one can get lost in endless of twists and tunnels. Then on the way to Koblenz. This is now a much larger city. We visited the old and the Deutsches Eck, or the confluence of the rivers Rhine and Mosel, where you can admire the strength of Ehrenbreitstein.

Burg Rheinfels

Deutsches Eck in Koblenz (confluence of rivers Mosel and Rhine)

already on the eastern bank of the river, and taking the way back, the last castle we visited was the Marksburg inside, as I said before this is the only one to survive intact all wars, so it required a visit near (and recommended!). We played an entertaining guide told several anecdotes and interesting details, and although we played in the tour a large group of dudes, behaved quite decently. Then stopped at some ruins. The last stop was proper on the rock of the Loreley, we had seen from down the opposite bank on the way there.

Marksburg

Burg Liebenstein

The area is rich in mythology. Around the same Rin can not forget the epic poem The Song of the Nibelungs. But more specifically referred to this area is the myth of the nymph of the Loreley. The place is particularly narrow and dangerous for ships. The story then says that the nymph with her singing and beauty dazzles the sailors causing the wreck.

Ich weiß nicht WAS is bedeuten soll,
that I am so sad;
a tale from ancient times,
This is me not out of mind.

The air is cool and it darkens,
And gently flows the Rhine;
The summit of the mountain
in the evening sunshine. entrances

The most beautiful
there, wonderful;
Her golden jewels are shining,
She combs her golden hair.

She combs her golden hair
And sings a song
One wondrous,
violence melody. Take

the boatman
With unrestrained woe;
He does not see the rocky reefs,
He only looks up into the air.

I think the waves engulf
Am Ende Schiffer und Kahn; Und das hat mit
ihrem Singen Die Lore-Ley
Getan.

Burg Katz from the Loreley cliff

Loreley from west bank of the Rhine